Argument

The Development in 4-H Youth Participants

As we all grow into adulthood the skills we take with us that we learned in our youth are put into action. We use these skills in everyday life. If we reflect on how we obtained these basic skills we reflect on the positives. The basic life skills we obtain in our youth are gained from social involvement. When it comes to life skill development 4-H is number one at helping youth grow. 4-H promotes life skill development in youth by introducing them to socialization, communication and leadership, and technical programs.

To begin with, socialization brings us out of our shells and helps us develop our personalities and our ability to meet new people. When most people think about 4-H they only see the agricultural side where children raise livestock to take to the county fair but, 4-H is much more than that. The organization is based around different 4-H clubs where youth get to choose where they want to belong with the group that fits with what interests them most. Some clubs do it all from the youth raising livestock to still projects such as nutrition and cooking. Others, stick to one particular project where youth just participate in one project such as rabbit raising or large market animals. Clubs bring socializing out into the open. Already being in a group of others that share the same interests as you makes it easier to make new friends. For example, in an article done by Erin Nicholes of Bozeman Daily Chronicle, he states “For kids who are home-schooled, 4-H offers the additional advantage of socialization.” (3). He talks about two young sisters who are both 4-H participants. The girls explain how they just wanted to make new friends since they had just moved to a new area. 4-H gave the two sisters the opportunity to make new friends in an environment that they also felt comfortable in because of their interests. The socializing that 4-H brings to youth gives them the ability to use it wherever they go. Meeting new people can always be difficult but, developing the skill to socialize with an array of new people while growing up makes it easier to know how to be around others as we get older and get into different crowds of people.

To continue, communication and leadership are a driving force of life skill development. The four H’s of the four leaf clover stand for Head, Heart, Hands and Health. These four things in courage youth participants to learn, get involved and become the best they can be to help others around them. After all one of the 4-H mottos is “To Make the Best Better”.  Communication and leadership step in when participants are being productive within their clubs. In a study done by Ladewig and Thomas in 1987, to show that skills learned in 4-H  are being carried into adulthood, participants of the study said they learned skills for good communication and leadership through public speaking and how to speak in front of a group by communicating together with their group to put a presentation together. Participants of the study also said that communicating and standing up in front of others was one of the most important things they learned through 4-H (Janet Fox, Debra Schroeder, and Kathleen Lodl 4). These skills are the building blocks of communication and leadership. With 4-H giving youth a strong building block in these two areas it allows youth to grow in a variety of ways such as self-confidence, trying new things, and sportsmanship. We communicate with others to make sure our voice is heard and to help others. We use our leadership skills to guide ourselves and others to achieve a goal. One of the main purposes of 4-H is to make sure this sticks with participants as they move on for it is a necessary in everyday life even though we don’t always realize it.

Finally, when most people think about 4-H they automatically think about the individual projects that youth partake in. The most well-known projects are the animal projects but 4-H goes far beyond animal science. In the same study done by Ladewig and Thomas participants of the study said that they gained a plethora of skills which involved consumer sciences, science and technology, and even environmental education (Janet Fox, Debra Schroeder, and Kathleen Lodl 4). In the article by Erin Nicholes he also states that “The program teaches life-skills by inviting kids to dive into projects with all of their senses.” (2). 4-H takes life skills and aims them at youth using their education in 4-H to incorporate what they learn through the program into everything else they learn outside of 4-H. The programs 4-H provides for youth is an outstanding list of possibilities. You name it; 4-H has a program relating to it. The skills youth learn through these programs stick with them as they grow. 4-H is a path chosen by many youth members that help them solve what other paths they can go down. As they grow older 4-H gives its members the skills they need to achieve their goals for the path they chose for themselves.

In conclusion, 4-H is a strong foundation for developing life skills in youth participants. Another statement from Erin Nicholes article was written towards the 4-H program by saying, “It has changed with the times, but also stayed true to its roots, teaching core values of responsibility, community service and life skills.” (1) Some might not agree that 4-H is a great program due to their own misfortunate experiences but, it’s not made from all and everyone does take different things from it. But this is only said by little and is not equivalent to all the positive things that 4-H has given to all of its participants and the people who have benefitted from all the volunteering that 4-H has provided. 4-H is the foundation to developing life skills and is beneficial to all of its youth members especially once they grow older.

Works Cited

Nicholes, Erin. "4-H Clubs rarely just for farm kids anymore." Bozeman Daily Chronicle

The Associated Press State & Local Wire. 9 Dec. 2003. Web. 3 November 2013.

Fox, Janet. Schroeder, Debra. Lodl, Kathleen. "Life Skill Development Through 4-H Clubs: The Perspective of 4-H Alumni. Dec. 2003. 3 Nov. 2013. www.joe.org